CONN 

S 

43 

.E22 

no.103 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

LYRASIS  members  and  Sloan  Foundation 


http://www.archive.org/details/fertilizersOOnewh 


Atfg3:f03 


O.  E.  S.  Library.  Cop.  2. 


^5 


THE 


Connecticut  Agricultural  Exprimt  Station, 


NEW    HAVEN,     CONN. 


BULLETIN     No.     103. 


MAY,    1890. 


The  Bulletins  and  Reports  of  this  Station  are  mailed  free  to 
every  citizen  of  Connecticut  who  applies  for  them  seasonably. 


FEETILIZEES. 

CONTENTS. 

Liabilities  of  Dealers - 

Gratuitous  Analyses 

Observance  of  Fertilizer  Law  by  Manufacturers .. 

Trade  Values.     Valuation _, 

Fertilizer  Analyses  : — 

Nitrate  of  Soda,  Sulphate  of  Ammonia,  Dried  Blocd,  3  analyses. 


Cotton  Seed  Meal,  Castor  Pomace, 

Sulphate  of  Potash,  Muriate  of  Potash, 

Cotton  Hull  Ashes, 

Precipitated  Phosphate,  Dissolved  Bone  Black, 

Bone  and  Tankage, 

Seaweeds  and  Sponge, 

Pigeon  Manure, 

Wilcox's  Fish  Guanos, 


Page. 
2  ' 
2 
3 
5 

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10 
11 
13 
13 
14 


Duties  of  Dealers  in  Fertilizers. 

The  Connecticut  Fertilizer  Law  holds  the  seller  responsible 
for  affixing  a  correct  label  and  statement  of  composition  to  every 
package  or  lot  of  fertilizer  sold  or  offered  for  sale.  Purchasers, 
for  their  own  security,  should  insist  that  such  statements  are 
supplied. 

Evert  Person"  who  sells  commercial  fertilizers  in  Connecticut 
is  also  required  by  law  to  report  certain  facts  to  the  Director  of 
this  Station  and  a  penalty  is  provided  for  neglect  to  do  this. 

The  law  also  holds  the  Seller  responsible  for  the  payment  of 
an  analysis-fee  on  every  brand  of  fertilizer  sold  by  him  in  case  the 
fee  is  not  paid  by  the  manufacturer  on  or  before  the  first  of  May 
annually. 

Copies  of  the  law  will  be  sent  on  application. 

Gratuitous  Analyses  of  Fertilizers. 

The  Station  by  its  authorized  agents  draws  samples  of  all 
brands  offered  for  sale  in  all  parts  of  the  State  and  when  possible 
sends  its  agents,  on  request,  to  sample  large  lots  of  goods  bought 
by  Granges  or  Farmers'  Clubs. 

The  cooperation  of  farmers'  organizations  is  nevertheless  de- 
sired in  calling  attention  to  new  brands  of  fertilizers,  and  in 
securing  samples. 

To  insure  justice  to  manufacturers,  dealers  and  consumers 
alike,  the  Station  will  make  gratuitous  analyses  of  Commercial 
Fertilizers  only  on  samples  taken  by  the  Agents  of  the  Station, 
or  on  such  other  samples  as  are  fully  described  on  the  Station 
Forms  for  Description  and  taken  in  accordance  with  the  Station 
Instructions  for  sampling,  and  furthermore  are  properly  authenti- 
cated by  the  certificate  of  the  person  drawing  the  sample,  and  in 
addition  the  witness,  either 

1.  Of  a  Selectman  ; 

2.  Of  an  Officer  of  a  farmers'  club,  grange  or  local  agricultural 
society ;  or 

3.  Of  the  Dealer  from  whose  stock  the  sample  is  taken. 

In  case  a  Dealer  takes  samples  of  his  own  stock,  the  witness  of 
one  of  the  Officers  aforesaid  will  be  required. 

It  is  particularly  necessary  that  the  actual  cost  prices  be  given. 
In  case  of  special  rates  the  Station,  if  desired,  will  hold  confidential 
both  the  names  of  the  seller  and  buyer,  but  to  make  the  results  of 
analysis  of  any  general  value,  and  so  to  justify  making  the  analyses 
at  all  it  is  essential  to  know  the  cost  of  the  material. 


OBSERVANCE  OF  THE  FERTILIZER  LAW. 


Manufacturers  who  have  paid  or  arranged  for  payment  of 
the  Analysis  Fees  as  required  by  the  Law,  and  Fertilizers  for 
which  fees  have  been  thus  paid  for  the  year  ending  May,  1891. 


Firm. 

Apothecaries  Hall  Co.,  Water-bury,  Conn. 
Baker,  H.  J.  &  Bro.,  215  Pearl  St.,  N.  Y. 


Bowker  Fertilizer  Co.,  43  Chatham  St., 
Boston,  Mass. 


Bradley  Fertilizer  Co.,  27  Kilby  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 


Church,  Joseph  &  Co.,  Tiverton,  R.  I. 
Coe,  E.  Frank,  16  Burling  Slip,  N.  Y. 


Coe,  Russell,  Meriden,  Conn. 

Cooper's,  Peter,  Glue  Factory,  17  Bur- 
ling Slip,  N.  Y. 

Crocker  Fertilizer  &  Chemical  Co.,  Buf- 
falo, N.  Y. 


Brand  of  Fertilizer. 

Victor  Phosphate. 
Pure  Ground  Bone. 

A.  A.  Ammomated  Superphosphate. 
Potato  Fertilizer. 

Corn  Fertilizer. 

Castor  Pomace. 

Kainit. 

Pure  Dry  Fish. 

Stockbridge  Tobacco  Manure. 

Corn  and  Grain  Manure. 
Forage  Crop  Manure. 
"  Vegetable  Manure. 

"  Fruit  Manure.  . 

Bowker's  Hill  and  Drill  Phosphate. 
"        Fish  and  Potash. 
"        Ammoniated  Dissolved  Bone. 
"        Fresh  Ground  Bone. 
Bradley's  Superphosphate. 
"        Potato  Manure. 
"        Complete  Manure  for  Potatoes 

and  Vegetables. 
"        for  Top  Dressing  Grass  and 

Grain. 
"        for  Corn  and  Grass. 
"        Pure  Fine  Ground  Bone. 
'•        Circle    Brand    Ground    Bone 

with  Potash. 
"        Fish     and     Potash,     Anchor 

Brand. 
"        Fish  and  Potash,  Triangle  A 
Brand. 

B.  D.  Sea  Fowl  Guano. 
Original  Coe's  Superphosphate. 
Fanner's  New  Method  Fertilizer. 
Fish  and  Potash. 

Dry  Ground  Fish. 

High  Grade  Ammoniated  Bone   Super- 
phosphate. 
Red  Brand  Excelsior  Guano. 
Gold  Brand  Excelsior  Guano. 
Potato  Fertilizer. 
Alkaline  Bone. 
Ground  Bone. 
Fish  and  Potash. 
Superphosphate. 
Pure  Bone  Dust. 

New    Rival    Ammoniated     Superpho  s- 

phate. 
Buffalo  Superphosphate  No.  2. 


Firm. 

Crocker  Fertilizer  &  Chemical  Co.,  Buf- 
falo, N.  Y. 


Cumberland  Bone  Co.,  Portland,  Maine. 

Darling,  L.  B.  Fertilizer  Co.,  Paw  tucket, 
R,  I. 

Downs  &  Griffin,  Birmingham,  Conn. 
Farmers  Fertilizer  Co.,   230   W.  Water 

St.,  Syracuse,  N.  T. 
Great  Eastern   Fertilizer  Co.,   Rutland, 

Vt. 


Kelsey,  E.  R.,  Branford,  Conn. 
Lister's   Agricultural   Chemical  Works, 
Newark,  N.  J. 

Ludlam  Frederick,   140  Maiden  Lane, 

N.  T 
MapesFormula  &  Peruvian  Guano  Co., 

158  Front  St.,  N.  T. 


Miller,  G.  W.,  Middlefield,  Conn. 

Olds  &  Whipple,  Hartford,  Conn. 
Plumb  &  Winton,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 
Read  Fertilizer  Co.,  New  York.  N.  Y. 


Red  Seal  Castor  Oil  Co..  St.  Louis,  Mo., 

by  Olds  &  Whipple,  Hartford. 
Reese,  J.  S.  &  Co.,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 


Rogers   &    Hubbard    Co.,    Middletown, 
Conn. 


Brand  of  Fertilizer. 

Special  Potato  Manure. 

Pure  Ground  Bone. 

Ammoniated  Bone  Superphosphate. 

Potato,  Hop  and  Tobacco  Phosphate. 

Queen  City  Phosphate. 

Yegetable  Bone  Superphosphate. 

Ammoniated  Wheat  and  Corn  Phosphate. 

Cumberland  Superphosphate. 

Seeding  Down  Fertilizer. 

Animal  Fertilizer. 

Extra  Bone  Phosphate. 

Pure  Ground  Bone. 

Ground  Bone. 

Standard  Special  Formula. 

Fish  and  Potash. 

Great  Eastern   General   Phosphate   for 

Oats,  Buckwheat  and  Seeding  Down. 
Great    Eastern    General    Fertilizer   for 

Grass  and  Grain. 
Great    Eastern    Vegetable,    Vine    and 

Tobacco  Fertilizer. 
Fish  and  Potash. 

Standard  Superphosphate  of  Lime. 
Ammoniated  Dissolved  Bone. 
Celebrated  Ground  Bone. 
Ludlam's  Cereal  Fertilizer. 

"        Cecrops  Fertilizer. 
Potato  Manure. 

Complete  Manure  for  Light  Soils. 
"  "        for  General  Use. 

'■         ''A  "Brand. 
Tobacco  Manure,  Connecticut  Brand. 

'•  ''        Wrapper  Brand. 

Fruit  and  Vine  Manure. 
Peruvian  Guano. 
Corn  Manure. 
Fine  Dissolved  Bone. 
Seeding  Down  Manure. 
Grass  and  Grain  Spring  Top  Dressing. 
Flour  of  Bone  Phosphate. 
Pure  Ground  Bone. 
Olds  &  Whipple  Special  Phosphate. 
Bone  Fertilizer. 
Farmers'  Friend  Fertilizer. 
Lion  Brand  Fertilizer. 
High  Grade  Farmers'  Friend. 
Bone,  Fish  and  Potash. 
Red  Seal  Castor  Pomace. 

Bay  State  Fertilizer 

Great  Planet  '■  A  "  Fertilizer. 

Reese's  Concentrated  Potato  and  Corn 
Manure. 

Reese's  Concentrated  Tobacco  and  Cab- 
bage Manure. 

Reese's  New  England  Favorite. 

Pilgrim  Fertilizer. 

King  Philip  Alkaline  Bone  Superphos- 
phate. 

Pure  Raw  Knuckle  Bone  Flour. 

Pure  Ground  AX  Bone. 


Firm. 

Rogers  &    Hubbard    Co.,    Middletown, 
Conn. 

Sanderson,  L.,  Long  Wharf,    New   Ha- 
ven, Conn. 


Stewart,  W.  D.  &  Co.,  8  Congress  St., 

Boston,  Mass. 
Wilcox,  Leander,  Mystic  Bridge,  Conn. 

Wilkinson  &  Co.,  54  Williams  St.,  N".  Y. 
Williams  &  Clark  Fertilizer  Co.,  81  Ful- 
ton Street,  N.  Y. 


Brand  of  Fertili .<  i . 

Soluble  Potato  Manure. 
Fairchild's  Corn  Formula. 

Seeding  Down  Formula. 
Formula  A. 
Sulphate  of  Ammonia. 
Kainit. 

Nitrate  of  Soda. 
Blood,  Bone  and  Meat. 
Dissolved  Bone  Black. 
Muriate  of  Potash. 
Sulphate  of  Potash. 
Fine  Ground  Bone. 
Soluble  Pacific  Guano. 
Pacific  Fish  and  Potash. 
Wilcox's  Acidulated  Fish  Guano. 

"         Dry  Ground  Fish  Guano. 
Economical  Bone  Fertilizer. 
High  Grade  Special  for  Tobacco,  &c. 
Potato  Phosphate. 

Americus  Ammoniated  Bone  Phosphate. 
Americus  Pure  Bone  Meal. 
Royal  Bone  Phosphate. 


The  Trade- Yalues  for  1890  of  Fertilizing  Ingredients 
in  Eaw  Materials  and  Chemicals. 

The  average  Trade-Values  or  retail  cost  per  pound  of  the 
ordinarily  occurring  forms  of  nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid  and 
potash  are  as  follows  :  cts. 

1  per  lb. 

Nitrogen  in  ammonia  salts IT 

nitrates ._  14£ 

Organic  nitrogen  in  dry  and  fine  ground  fish,  meat  and  blood 17 

in  cotton  seed  meal  and  castor-pomace 15 

in  fine  bone  and  tankage 16-J- 

in  fine  medium  bone  and  tankage 13 

in  medium  bone  and  tankage 1 0| 

in  coarser  bone  and  tankage 8-£ 

in  hair,  horn  shavings  and  coarse  fish  scrap 8 

Phosphoric  acid,  soluble  in  water 8 

in  ammonium  citrate* 1\ 

in  dry  ground  fish,  fine  bone  and  tankage _  _  7 

in  fine-medium  bone  and  tankage 6 

in  medium  bone  and  tankage .  5 

in  coarser  bone  and  tankage 4 

in  fine  ground  rock  phosphate 2 

Potash  as  high-grade  Sulphate  and  in  forms  free  from  Muriate  (or  Chlorides)  6 

as  kainit 4-J- 

as  muriate  . . 4-i- 

*  Dissolved  from  2  grams  of  the  unground  phosphate  previously  extracted  with 
pure  water,  by  100  c.  c.  neutral  solution  of  Ammonium  Citrate,  sp.  gr.  1.09,  in  30 
minutes,  at  65°  C,  with  agitation  once  in  five  minutes.  Commonly  called  "  re- 
verted" or  "backgone"  Phosphoric  Acid. 


6 

These  Trade-Values  are  the  average  prices  at  which  in  the  six 
months  preceding  March  the  respective  ingredients  could  be 
bought  at  retail  for  cash  in  our  large  markets,  Boston,  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  in  the  raw  materials  which  are  the 
regular  source  of  supply.  They  also  correspond  to  the  average 
wholesale  prices  for  the  six  months  ending  March  1st,  plus  about 
20  per  cent,  in  case  of  goods  for  which  we  have  wholesale  quo- 
tations. They  have  been  agreed  upon  by  the  Experiment  stations 
of  Massachusetts,  New  Jersey  and  Connecticut  for  use  in  their 
respective  States  during  1890.  The  valuations  obtained  by  use 
of  the  above  figures  will  be  found  to  agree  fairly  with  the 
average  retail  'price  at  the  large  markets  of  standard  raw  ma- 
terials such  as : 

Sulphate  of  Ammonia,  Azotin, 

Nitrate  of  Soda,  Ammonite, 

Dried  Blood,  Dry  Ground  Fish, 

Muriate  of  Potash,  Bone  or  Tankage, 

Sulphate  of  Potash,  Ground  So.  Carolina  Rock, 

Plain  Superphosphate. 

Valuation  of  Superphosphates,  Special  Manures  and 
Mixed  Fertilizers  of  High  Grade. 

The  Valuation  of  a  Fertilizer  consists  in  calculating  the  retail 
Trade-value  or  cash-cost  at  trade  centers  (in  raw  materials  of 
good  quality)  of  an  amount  of  nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid  and 
potash  equal  to  that  contained  in  one  ton  of  the  fertilizer. 

To  obtain  the  Valuation  of  a  Fertilizer  we  multiply  the  pounds 
per  ton  of  Nitrogen,  etc.  by  the  trade-value  per  pound.  We 
thus  get  the  values  per  ton  of  the  several  ingredients,  and  adding 
them  together  we  obtain  the  total  valuation  per  ton. 

Organic  nitrogen  in  Mixed  Fertilizers  is  reckoned  at  17  cents, 
the  price  of  nitrogen  in  raw  materials  of  the  best  quality. 

Insoluble  Phosphoric  Acid  is  reckoned  at  3  cents,  unless  found 
to  be  from  rock  phosphate.  In  this  latter  form  Insoluble  Phos- 
phoric Acid  costs  but  2  cents  per  pound.  Potash  is  rated  at  4-J- 
cents,  if  sufficient  chlorine  is  present  in  the  fertilizer  to  combine 
with  it  to  make  muriate.  If  there  is  more  Potash  present  than 
will  combine  with  the  chlorine,  then  this  excess  of  potash  is  reck- 
oned at  6  cents. 

In  most  cases  the  valuation  of  the  Ingredients  in  Superphos- 
phates and  Specials  falls  below  the  retail  cash  price  charged  for 


7 

these  goods  at  the  factory.  The  difference  between  the  two 
figures  represents  the  manufacturer's  charges  for  converting  raw 
materials  into  manufactured  articles  and  selling  them.  These 
charges  are  for  grinding  and  mixing,  bagging  or  barreling,  stor- 
age, commission  to  agents  and  dealers,  interest  on  investment, 
and  finally,  profits.  If  the  purchaser  buys  on  credit,  the  price  of 
the  fertilizer  is  commonly  made  to  cover  interest. 


FERTILIZER  ANALYSES. 

Here  follow  fertilizer  analyses  recently  made  at  this  Station 
and  which  have  immediate  interest  to  farmers.  The  work  of 
analyzing  every  brand  of  fertilizer  sold  in  the  State  which  is 
required  by  the  fertilizer  law  to  be  done  annually  cannot  be  com- 
pleted before  August  or  September. 

Materials  chiefly  Valuable  as  Sources  of  Nitrogen. 

2690  Nitrate  or  Soda,  2691  Sulphate  of  Ammonia,  2721 
Dried  Blood,  sampled  by  Station  Agent  from  stock  of  L.  San- 
derson. 

Analyses. 

Nitrate  Sulphate  Dried 

of  Soda.  of  Ammonia.  Blood. 

2690  2691                      2721 

Nitrogen 16.06  20.86  12.90 

Equivalent  ammonia 19.4  25.3  15.6 

Cost  per  ton $50.00  $75.00  $40.00 

Nitrogen  costs  per  pound        15.6  cts.  18  cts.  15.5  cts. 

Cotton  Seed  Meal  and  Castor  Pomace. 

2658.  Cotton  Seed  Meal,  "  Off  Color,"  unfit  for  cattle  food. 
Stock  of  Olds  &  Whipple. 

2723.  Cotton  Seed  Meal,  from  stock  of  L.  Sanderson,  New 
Haven. 

2758.  Cotton  Seed  Meal,  "  Off  Color,"  from  stock  of  C.  L. 
Spencer,  Suffield. 

2714.  Castor  Pomace.  Made  by  Occidental  Oil  Co.,  N.  Y. 
Sold  by  L.  Sanderson,ENew  Haven.  Sampled  by  E.  F.  Thomp- 
son, Warehouse  Point. 

2655.  Castor  Pomace.  Made  by  Occidental  Oil  Co.,  N.  Y. 
Sold  by  L.  Sanderson,  New  Haven.  Sampled  by  John  Mason  at 
Warehouse  Point. 


2656.  Castor  Pomace.  Made  by  Collier  Lead  &  Oil  Co.,  St. 
Louis.     Sold  by  F.  Ellsworth,  Hartford. 

Analyses. 

2658  2723  2758  2714  2655  2656 

Nitrogen 6.44  6.89  6.74  4.70  4.93  5.65 

Phosphoric   acid. 3.34  3.12  3.22  1.55  1.62  2.11 

Potash 1.96  2.22  2.16  1.24  1.11  1.05 

Costperton $22.00     $26.00     $23.00     $19.00     $19.00     $23.00 

Nitrogen  costs  per  pound  in 

cents,* ii. 7        13.8       11. 9        16.3        15.6       16.6 

*  Allowing  7c.  and  6c.  per  pound  respectively  for  phosphoric  acid  and  potash. 

Cotton  seed  meal,  of  good  quality,  such  as  is  used  for  cattle 
food,  continues  to  be  one  of  the  cheapest  sources  of  available 
nitrogen  in  our  fertilizer  market,  and  that  which  is  "  off  color" 
supplies  nitrogen  at  an  even  lower  price ;  in  Nos.  2658  and  2758 
for  less  than  12  cents. 

The  Castor  Pomace  furnished  by  the  Occidental  Oil  Co.  is  ex- 
ceptionally low  in  nitrogen  [4. 70-4. 93  per  cent.],  but  at  $19.00  per 
ton,  nitrogen  costs  rather  less  than  in  the  other  brand  sold  at 
$23.00  per  ton. 

Raw  Materials  Chiefly  Valuable  as   Sources   of 

Potash. 

Potash  Salts. 

2687.  Sulphate  of  Potash.  2689.  Muriate  of  Potash  ;  both 
from  stock  of  L.  Sanderson,  sampled  by  Station  agent. 

Analyses. 

2687  2689 

Potash 25.76  51.12 

Cost  per  ton $30.00  $42.50 

Potash  costs  per  pound  in  cents 5.8  4.2 

Cotton  Hull  Ashes. 
The  following  analyses  have  been  made  this  spring  of  samples, 
sent  for  the  most  part  by  purchasers.  Nos.  2731  and  2740  were 
from  stock  sold  by  Olds  &  Whipple,  Hartford.  Nos.  2657, 
2660  and  2713  were  sold  by  R.  A.  Parker,  Warehouse  Point. 
No.  2643  by  R.  E.  Pinney,  Suffield.  No.  2661  by  J.  E.  Soper 
&  Co.,  Boston.  Nos.  2652,  2671,  2717  and  2757  by  C.  L. 
Spencer,  Suffield,  and  No.  2718  by  Allen  Wilson,  Suffield. 


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10 

Two  points  shown  in  the  above  analyses  are  to  be  noted  : — 

1.  The  content  of  valuable  ingredients  is  very  variable,  and 
the  quantity  of  water-soluble  potash  in  cotton  hull  ashes  has  a 
wide  range — one  sample  containing  30.24  per  cent.,  another  little 
more  than  half  as  much,  viz  :   15.57.. 

The  proportion  of  phosphoric  acid  ranges  from  7  to  12.5  per 
cent.  This  inequality,  which  is  found  not  only  in  different  car 
lots,  but  in  ton  lots  and  even  in  the  contents  of  different  sacks  in 
a  ton  lot,  can  only  be  overcome  by  purchasers  insisting  on  a  guar- 
antee of  composition  from  the  manufacturer  or  dealer,  and  a  suit- 
able rebate  in  case  the  ashes  are  not  as  represented. 

2.  The  ashes  are  nearly  or  quite  free  from  chlorides,  ["muriates"] 
the  potash  being  combined  chiefly  with  carbonic  and  phosphoric 
acids  and  can  therefore  serve  instead  of  sulphate  of  potash  in 
tobacco  fertilizers  or  wherever  it  is  desired  to  avoid  using 
muriates.  Allowing  the  same  value  for  soluble  and  reverted 
phosphoric  acid  as  in  superphosphates  and  2  cents  per  pound  for 
insoluble  phosphoric  acid,  the  freely  soluble  potash  in  these  sam- 
ples has  cost  from  8.6  cents  to  1.5  cents  per  pound,  or  on  the  av- 
erage of  the  twelve  samples  5.3  cents  per  pound.  Cotton  hull 
ashes  of  the  best  quality  are  therefore  the  cheapest  source  of 
potash  free  from  chlorides  to  be  found  in  our  markets. 

Kaw  Materials  Chiefly  Valuable  as  Sources  of  Phos- 
phoric Acid. 

2669.  Precipitated  Phosphate,  made  by  the  Carteret  Chemical 
Co.,  115  Broadway,  New  York.  Sampled  and  sent  by  the  manu- 
facturers. 

2688.  Dissolved  Bone  Black,  Stock  of  L.  Sanderson,  New 
Haven. 

Analyses. 

2669  2688 

Soluble  phosphoric  acid  _ 2.32  16.99 

Reverted  phosphoric  acid 28.52  .13 

Insoluble  phosphoric  acid  . .   6.53  

Cost  per  ton _. . $33.63  $26.00 

Available  phosphoric  acid  costs  per  pound.       4.7  cts.*  7.6  cts. 

Particular  attention  is  called  to  the  Precipitated  Phosphate 
which  we  are  told  is  a  waste  product  of  the  glue  manufacture. 

*  At  wholesale. 


11 

It  is  a  white  powder,  fine  and  dry,  and  contains  a  large  per  cent, 
of  phosphoric  acid  which  has  been  precipitated  from  solution  by 
the  addition  of  lime.  It  is  sold  on  analysis,  wholesale,  at  "  90 
cents  per  unit  of  phosphoric  acid."  A  "unit"  in  the  trade  is 
1  per  cent,  or  20  pounds  per  ton.  As  the  sample  contains  37.33 
per  cent,  or  "  units"  of  phosphoric  acid,  the  ton  price  would  be 
37.37 X. 90  =  f>33.63  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  f.  o.  b. 

Precipitated  phosphate  of  lime  is  readily  available  and  in  many 
cases  has  proved  quite  as  efficient  as  water-soluble  phosphates 
and  is  considerably  cheaper. 

Bone  and  Tankage. 

2686.  Pulverized  Tankage  [Bone  and  Meat]  ;  2722,  Tankage  ; 
2749,  Blood,  Bone  and  Meat.  All  from  stock  of  L.  Sanderson, 
New  Haven. 

2681.  Pure  Ground  AX  Bone;  2682,  Strictly  Pure  Fine 
Bone ;  and  2683,  Raw  Knuckle  Bone  Flour.  All  made  by 
the  Rogers  &  Hubbard  Co.,  Middletown. 

2720.    Ground  Bone,     Sold  by  L.  Sanderson,  New  Haven. 

2751.  Ground  Bone.  Ground  at  a  grist  mill  for  E.  N.  Spald- 
ing, Suffield. 


12 


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13 


ROCKWEED    AND    SPONGE. 

Some  species  of  marine  plants  are  more  or  less  used  on  the 
coast  as  fertilizers,  and  are  thought  much  of  for  corn  land,  par- 
ticularly the  "round-stalked  rockweed  "  and  "fiat-stalked  rock- 
weed,"  for  which  farmers  sometimes  pay  5  cents  per  bushel  in  its 
green  state  as  it  is  cut  from  the  rocks  at  low  tide.  It  is  plowed 
under  green,  and  is  popularly  believed  to  lose  much  of  its  value 
if  allowed  to  dry  before  turning  under. 

Partial  analyses  of  several  species  have  been  made,  the  samples 
being  supplied  by  Mr.  Walter  Merwin,  March  24. 

2724.  Round  Stalked  Rock-Weed.     Ascophyllum  nodosum. 

2725.  Flat  Stalked  Rock- Weed.     Fiicus  vesciculosus. 

2726.  A  coarse  Sponge.     Species  not  determined. 

2727.  A  finely  branching  Sea  Weed.    Species  not  determined. 

2728.  "  Irish  Moss."      Chondrus  crispus. 

Analyses. 

2724  2725 

Water  at  100°C. 82.71  84.34 

Organic  and  Volatile. 13.52  12.09 

Ash 3.77  3.57 


2726 

2727 

2728 

86.13 

81.38 

80.84 

5.46 

14.16 

14.43 

8.41 

4.46 

4.73 

00.00 

100.00 

100.00 

.58 

.73 

.77 

.14 

.13 

.17 

.17 

1.30 

1.00 

6.19 

.41 

.54 

100.00       100.00 

lSTitrogen  iri  the  Organic  Matter..  .53  .48 

Phosphoric  Acid  in  the  ash .11  .09 

Potash  in  the  ash .60  .55 

Sand  and  Silica .12  .27 

The  analyses  show  as  large  a  percentage  of  nitrogen  in  all  the 
samples  as  is  contained  in  good  stable  manure,  but  less  phosphoric 
acid.  The  "  rock  weeds  "  have  as  much  potash,  and  the  fine  sea- 
weed and  Irish  moss  a  good  deal  more  than  ordinary  stable  ma- 
nure. In  the  opinion  of  those  who  use  rock  weed,  fresh,  it  is  as 
quick  in  its  action  as  stable  manure.  Further  analyses  will  show 
its  composition  at  different  seasons  of  the  year.  Some  maintain 
that  that  gathered  in  the  fall  is  best.  Others  prefer  the  spring 
crop. 

Pigeon  Manure. 

2649.  A  dry  sample,  containing  very  little  foreign  matter, 
feathers,  straw,  etc.  Sampled  and  sent  by  A.  D.  Cooke,  Hartford. 


14 

Analysis. 

Water _     9.55 

Organic  and  Volatile* 62.38 

Potash 1.07 

Soda ti5 

Lime 2.12 

Magnesia 79 

Oxide  of  iron  and  alumina _.     1.08 

Phosphoric  acid 1.83 

Sulphuric  acid .57 

Chlorine _       .47 

Sand  and  Silica 18.12 

Carbonic  acid  and  undetermined 1.37 

100.00 

*  Containing  nitrogen  as  ammonia .47 

Organic   nitrogen 3.43 

Total  nitrogen 3.90 

This  material  contains  as  much  or  more  nitrogen  than  most 
commercial  fertilizers,  besides  1  per  cent,  of  potash  and  1.8  per 
cent,  of  phosphoric  acid.  The  "dung"  of  fowls  contains  not 
only  the  undigested  food,  but  also,  in  solid  form,  the  excretions 
of  the  kidneys,  which  in  cattle  are  voided  as  urine,  and  are  apt  to 
be  lost,  both  by  drainage  and  by  rapid  fermentation.  This,  the 
richer  food,  and  the  fact  that  the  dung  of  fowls  is  comparatively 
dry,  explain  the  higher  percentage  of  nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid 
and  potash  in  it. 

Wilcox's  Fish  Fertilizers. 
Following  are  analyses  of  two  brands  of  commercial  fertilizers 
which  are  new  in  the  Connecticut  market  : 

2679.  Wilcox's  Dry  Ground  Fish  Guano. 

2680.  Wilcox's  Acidulated  Fish  Guano. 
Made  by  Leander  Wilcox,  Mystic  Bridge,  Conn. 

Analyses. 

2679  2680 

Nitrogen  as   ammonia .21  1.19 

Nitrogen,   organic 8.16  4.84 

Total  nitrogen S.37  6.03 

Soluble  phosphoric  acid .S9  1.28 

Reverted  phosphoric  acid 3.73  3.00 

Insoluble  phosphoric  acid 2.35  ■                  .95 

Total  phosphoric  acid 6.97  5.23 

Tarnation  per  ton... $36.8S  S27.63 


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